Myanmar to create conditions for the return of Rohingya

United Nations aid agencies called on Myanmar on Wednesday to improve conditions in Rakhine state for the safe return of hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Bangladesh and provide a clear pathway to citizenship for those eligible.

Axar.az informs citing the TASS, in a joint statement issued in Geneva, they stressed that repatriation should be voluntary, carried out in safe and decent living conditions.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and UN Development Programme (UNDP) said in a joint statement that they needed full access to Rakhine state and were still awaiting permission for international staff to be based in the town of Maungdaw following requests made on 14 June.

The U.N. agencies said that substantial progress was urgently needed in three key areas: "granting effective access in Rakhine State; ensuring freedom of movement for all communities; and addressing the root causes of the crisis".